Improvement in compound shells for ordnance



L. B OLMSTED.

Shell.

Patented Oct. .1 2; 1858.

Witnesses:

Inventor:

UNTTE a STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LORENZO B. OLMSIED, OF BINGHAMTON, NEW YORK.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 21,773, dated October1-2, 1858.

To aZl whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LORENZO B. OLMSTED, of the town of Binghamton,county of Broome, and State of New York, have invented a new andusefulCompound Shell for Ordnance; and I declare the following to bea full andexact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention consists in the employment of a shell composed of an innercast-iron bursting-shell,which serves also as a nucleus or core uponwhich I construct a second shell or outer coating in sections. Thesesections form also a series of independent chambers to be charged withexplosive material and projectiles. The bursting-charge of the innershell is ignited in the usual manner by a fuse fired by the proj ectingcharge of the gun. The explosion of the shell sets at liberty thesections, each of which contains a fuse to be ignited by thebursting-charge, as hereinafter described, the object of the inventionbeing that the explosion shall insure a division of the shell into thegreatest possible number of effective fragments, which, after havingdone execution as projectiles, shall contain within themselves stillfurther agency for harassing an enemy in action by explosions after thefragments are at rest, throwing their missiles in every direction fromamong the front and the rear of the foe. These sections will beseparated upon the explosion of the inner shell, and be scattered withthe fragments thereof with the usual execution due thereto, after whichthe sections explode with destructive effect, sending their leadenmessengers with force, as if projected from a musket.

I prefer that the sections shall be of such size as to admit a musketball and charge; yet they may be made to admit alarger or smaller ballaccording to circumstances, as required.

For facility in description I must refer to the drawings, Figures I, II,and III, and the similar parts lettered alike.

Fig. I represents the compound ball intact as charged and ready forservice. Flg. II shows the shell in section with a part of the chambersempty, and the remainder charged with powder and ball, and thequick-match fuses in place as used, as Well as the bomb fuse. Fig. IIIshows the form and construction of one of the sectional parts.

The letters A A show the core-or burstingshell; B B, the sections of theouter shell, one of which is shown separate at Fig. III, with projectinglock-tenons 0 0, which take into corresponding mortises on thematch-pieces. On one side of this section is seen a semicircularindentation, H, and on Fig. II are seen dark circular spots H H. Theselatter represent sections of wire rings, which fit into the recesses ofthe sections to lock them in circles. In some cases I should use boththe tenons and the rings, and hence both are here repre sented. Thesections should be so divided as to break joint on the surface in theseveral series -of circles, and their shape will somewhat vary in eachof the circles of the hemisphere. The lower end of the section isconcave, fitting the core-shell, in which is a slight depression orcountersink to receive the projecting piece E, on the middle of thesection. Through this projection, which corresponds with the bottom ofthe chamber, the fuse-hole is bored, and again continued through thecore shell, as seen in Fig. II. The main bursting fuse is seen at D,upon the plug of which a flange is turned, and a screw cut on the plug.This contrivance serves to lock thelast circle,which will bind andsecure all the parts strongly together.

F F show the chambers as charged ready for use, and G Gr the chambersempty for loading.

The depressions'on the core-shell to receive the projecting pieces E ofthe sections should be molded and cast therein to save expense andfacilitate fitting the parts together.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

Surrounding an explosive shell with a num- IVitnesses:

J B. HYDE, JOHN S. HOLLINGSHEAD.

ber of chambered segments, each charged with

